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It's almost December, and you know what that means. It's time for businesses to have their annual discussion about how they can take things to a new level or continue to compete in the next year. Content marketing has to be part of that strategy. In this audio blog, I share some thoughts and insights on what can work in 2018.

Listen to this content hero interview with Kristina Witmer, President of T﻿he Witmer Group﻿. Her company helps businesses develop integrated marketing strategies and produce lead generation. She talks about the state of content marketing and how businesses (especially small to mid-size) can finally start developing content strategies.

How do you produce content when there is so much to compete with online? How do marketers adjust to not having as much control? How can a content marketing budget save a company money? Why is it important to think like a consumer? We'll answer these questions and more in today's episode.

If you’re wondering why Twitter isn’t working for you, sometimes changing the way you think about the platform is key. As a content producer who has been using it for some time, I see too many people relying on minimum postings and big followings.

If you’re a “just post 1-2 things a day” marketer, let me draw your attention to a recent post from Kim Garst called “The State of Twitter”? In it, Garst, as well as Ted Rubin, Larry Kim, Peg Fitzpatrick and other experts pull some insights based on what’s happened on Twitter in the last quarter. Their data showed that the Tweeters that get top 20 percent of the of the traffic/clicks are Tweeting 80 TIMES A DAY. The Lower 80% - 14 times a day. Consider this and compare it to how many times you’re tweeting per day.

If you really want to make an impact, it’s easy to seek out the accounts that have the biggest followings, right?

So, does this mean you need to Tweet 80 times a day and go after only those with smaller followings?

​No.

Consider increasing frequency – Some of those prominent probably have teams or significant automation time and resources at their disposal. You don’t have to be exactly like them, but if you’re only tweeting 80 times a month, increase that number a little more.

Don’t obsess over giant numbers – Sure those big follower accounts look good, especially if they follow you. However, many of them also have a lot of people they’re following. So, you’re competing with a lot of content in their feed.​Focus on value – Instead of making followers be the key to your follow, make it about value. Find people that engage with other people and share content that’s relevant to you. If they have a smaller following, it might be a little easier to curate a meaningful relationship with that colleague.The good news is, these are actions you can take on Twitter right now. So, follow some new people, and tweet a little more today!

I’m a content marketer who has been using Twitter to share content and make connections. Like you, I’m working to stay up to date on social media content trends. That’s why I’m in the Social Media Marketing Specialization classes on Coursera. I’m on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, so let’s connect and share notes!

People often struggle with what to write on their blog. It's important to remember that you don't always have to WRITE a lot. Blogs also don't have to be a complicated piece of content. Here are some creative ideas for your blog.

With Podcast Movement 2017 underway, I'm continuing to post more information surrounding podcasts. Today it's a video showcasting highlights from a recent study conducted by Edison Research & Triton Digital. These are just a few of the takeaways. Check out the entire study here - THE PODCAST CONSUMER

If you're launching a podcast, a first impression is incredibly important. If you want people to listen, love and subscribe...you have to keep them interested. This infographic will give you a checklist of things to do before posting your first episode for public consumption.

Download it here:

I love working with businesses on their podcasts. A lot of times there's a ton of excitement and curiosity in our conversations. A lot of that curiosity comes from wondering if audio content can really help their organization. Sometimes, they've just read about other companies doing it, and they decide they want to try it out. As with any new initiative, the "What if we fail" worry tends to be present. It is then that I tell them why podcasting can be good for business.

You reach new audiences.Businesses have to produce a variety of content because different people consume things in different ways. Podcasting gives you a chance to put yourself in front of an audience who likes to listen to content while driving, working out, relaxing, etc. This was the best way to reach them. I remember when Facebook marketing expert Amy Porterfield launched her podcast. One of the first things she said she noticed after launching her show was that she was reaching people she would've have never otherwise reached. And this was coming from someone who makes a living ONLINE.

It personalizes your brandIf your online presence consists of website text and social media posts, podcasting can add a personal element to it all. You can host the show and showcase some of your very knowledgeable employees, partners or colleagues. Suddenly, you're more than a website, Tweet or Facebook post...you're a human with a voice. In today's trust-driven consumer marketing place, that's something that adds a lot of value to your presence.

It's a great storytelling platform.Audio is like movies for the mind. It always has been. When many people listen to the radio, they subconsciously visualize a look to go with a voice. When you hear commercials with music, dialogue and characters...they're trying to generate an image in your head. You can definitely create stories on a podcast using that formula. Or you can take a cue from shows like This American Life and merge interviews with music. These days, telling your story is more important than ever. Podcasts give you a way to tell it.

It's easier and less expensive than video.Before I added audio to my production skills, I was a video producer. I did everything from camera, sound, locations, casting, editing, lighting and directing. Audio is recording and then editing. I liked the simplicity of that. So, with podcasts you don't have to worry about how you look or the scenery around you. You don't have to worry about lighting. You don't even have to buy a high def camera to produce the content. You can launch a podcast for under $100, and it's probably a little less time consuming.

If I can help you develop or produce a podcast for your business...let me know!

Let me know if I can help you with your podcast!

I remember when social media really started to gain some traction. More people were using it, and some creative business folks figured out how to use it for their organization. However, there were a lot more people in business that believed social media is for kids, fluff and fun. That's it. It had no value beyond that. I remember a CEO saying, "Twitter is for twerps".

Now it's 2017, and several companies have realized there is value in social media. However, many are still trying to figure out how to make it work. One of the biggest roadblocks is transitioning from many of the traditional marketing and sales approaches to more content-driven/consumer-centric strategies.

As we get closer to 2018, social media/content strategies are no longer something you can brush off or consider later. Just like the days where companies realized they could use social media, today's environment sees companies taking more drastic measures to adapt to the times.

This includes removing the CMO from the organization and turning their marketing departments into customer experience or publishing departments. I've worked for CEOs and managers that didn't take social/content strategies seriously, and I wonder if they've noticed that even big brands like Coke are making changes. (Listen to the audio above to hear more.)

One of the things you can do to help your social media and content efforts is OUTSOURCE some of the workload. I'm here to help!

Contact Me

When I first learned about link shrinking, I was that I could save some text space. However, I worried about the clickability factor. Since the shrinking process changes the URL to a bunch of random letters and numbers, you can't tell where the link is going to take you. With clickbait and other tricky lures out there, I thought people would avoid clicking on something that wouldn't give them a sense as to where they're going. I'm sure you've wondered the same thing.

Then I found out about Bit.ly's customization tool, and that fixed everything. If you sign up with them, you have the option to shorten and tweak the URL.

Let's connect!

I'm known for my people skills, conceptual creativity, work ethic and ability to write/produce content for any client or project. I have a natural passion for creating content, helping others and building relationships. There are several different ways we can connect. Let's put our content powers together and win the day!